Derby Contenders

John Servis

John Servis was born into a family involved in the Thoroughbred racing industry. His father worked as a jockey, a manager for the Jockey's Guild, and then a steward. Servis has done it all including hot walking, grooming, jockey's agent, and got his trainer's license in 1984. He burst onto the scene with Smarty Jones, who in 2004 won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but fell a length short in the Belmont Stakes to lose his chance at winning the Triple Crown.